PLATE XXX.
DYNASTES HERCULES.
Plate [XXX]. fig. 1. ♂.—2. ♀.
Order: Coleoptera. Section: Lamellicornes. Family: Dynastidæ, MacLeay.
Genus. Dynastes, MacLeay. Geotrupes, Fabricius. Scarabæus, Latreille, Linnæus, &c.
Dynastes Hercules. Thoracis ♂ cornu incurvo longissimo subtus barbato utrinque unidentato, capitis recurvato dentato. (Long. Corp. 5 unc. 9 lin. ♂.)
Syn. Scarabæus Hercules, Linn. Syst. Nat. 2. 541. 1. Oliv. Ins. 1. 3. b. 1. tab. 1. f. 1. tab. 23. fig. 1. Fabr. Ent. Syst. 1. p. 2. No. 1. Naturalists' Library, Beetles, pl. 11. Edwards, Birds, t. 334. Gronov. Zooph. 412. Johnst. Ins. t. 16. f. 1. Petiv. Gaz. t. 70. f. 1. Roesel. Scar. tom. iv. t. 5. f. 3. Pal. Beauv. Ins. d'Afr. & d'Amer. Col. Pl. 1. c. f. 1. Marcgr. Braz. 247. fig. 3.
Habitat: Gaudaloupe (Drury). South America.
Male. Black, except the elytra, which are of an olive colour; having a number of black spots on them of different shapes and sizes, varying considerably in different individuals. Thorax, above, smooth, and shining, the sides covered with a multitude of small punctures. Its front is produced into a long shining horn, near three inches in length, which gradually bends downwards from the base to the extremity, where it is slightly forked; the under side being covered with short fine hairs of a yellowish colour, resembling the pile of velvet, and having about two inches from its extremity a strong short spine placed on each side. The head is furnished with another horn, about two-thirds the length of the first, sharp and thin on its upper side, and towards the end bending upwards; having on the upper edge, near the middle, three or four teeth or strong spines, and another near the extremity. Eyes shining, red brown. Tibiæ armed with spines, particularly the anterior pair, which have four; three near the tips, and one near the middle. The middle and hinder tibiæ have each two strong spurs, and several smaller spines, surrounded with hair on the other parts. The edge of the abdomen is covered with a row of dark orange-coloured hairs. Several other parts of the body, joints, &c. are also clothed with the same coloured hairs. Each of the ungues has a little tuft of strong hairs issuing from the extremity of the terminal joint of the tarsi.